Folklore: Thailand’s Monkey Buffet Festival

December 2, 2016

Daniela Ramos

Described one of the strangest festivals by London’s Guardian newspaper, this event has been held since 2007 in Lopburi, Thailand. And no – monkeys are not served as the main dish, but instead, kilos and kilos of fruits, vegetables, sweets, snacks and drinks are served FOR the monkeys.

There are over three thousand monkeys living in this small town, which would have been forgotten if it weren’t for these furry creatures. They chose Prang Sam Yot as a home, a small Buddhist temple which would have been overlooked it if weren’t for them. To date, it is one of Thailand’s main attractions and it is all thanks to them. Tourism has become a great source of economy for this small town, and to thank them, this festival is held annually around the end of November.

A large amount of food is laid out for the macaques… and they love it!

But that is not it. Aside from the food, there are also, what some would call, unique decorations. Moreover, there are also marches, music and dances… all monkey-themed, of course!

The festival was originally held in 1989 by a local businessman and has, since then, been held annually.

If you are in the mood for some bizarre day filled with music, food and… monkeys, then Lopburi during the month of November is the go-to place!

Daniela Ramos

Full time traveller. I left home at 18 to study photography in NYC & journalism in London. Have been in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. Now, I am globetrotting the world visiting all the Green Lion programs to tell you my experiences first-handedly.

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